What’s the story?
Real Madrid have set an asking price of £174.5 million for superstar forward Cristiano Ronaldo according to English outlet Metro. The Portuguese forward, currently with the national team in Russia for the Confederations Cup is reportedly seeking a move away from the European Champions.
In case you didn’t know..
Widespread reports say that the tax fraud allegations has led to the Real Madrid forward to make an irreversible decision to leave the Spanish capital. Manchester United are rumoured to be the front-runners for signing their former player.
But, as Real seem to have decided, they won’t be letting the 32-year-old go cheap. The Portugal captain has a contract with Real Madrid till the year 2021, and has previously expressed his desire to stay in Madrid for the rest of his career.
Also Read: Pele picks between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi
The heart of the matter
Cristiano Ronaldo has undoubtedly a very strong connection with Manchester United having played under Sir Alex Ferguson. He lifted the Premier League three times along with the Champions League trophy once during his time in England.
However, Manchester United are not the same team as they were when he left in 2009. The team is undoubtedly in transition having finished 6th in the Premier League last season.
What’s Next?
Manchester United are rumoured to be interested in Alvaro Morata also of Real Madrid, with the deal expected to be concluded soon. If they do decide to bring the prodigal son back to Old Trafford, their other well laid transfer plans might be thrown into the water given the sheer amount of money which will be involved in the transfer.
Also, Jose Mourinho and Cristiano Ronaldo have had their differences in the past, which might be a contributing factor to the outcome at the end of the season.
Author’s Take
At the moment, all the rumours of the move don’t seem to be more than a kneejerk reaction to the tax fraud allegations on the head of Cristiano Ronaldo. For Manchester United, it really doesn’t make sense from a purely footballing point of view to pay £174.5 million for a soon to be 22-year-old.
On the other hand, there is absolutely no doubt that the Cristiano Ronaldo is still the best player in the world and is extremely marketable. Pros and cons, watch this space.
Also read: 5 reasons why Real Madrid are now bigger than Barcelona
